Foldable bookrest



Oct. l2, 1954 LKR/ws FOLDABLE BooKREsT Filed July '2, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fR/a5 TTRNEY oct. 12, 1954 H. KRAUS 2,691,240

FOLDABLE BOOKREST Filed July 2, 1953 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. l/HRLD KRAU-.s

TTORNE Y Patented Oct. I2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE BOOKREST Harold Kraus, Bronx, N. Y.

Application July 2, 1953. Serial No. 365,650

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a foldable book rest.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a book rest adapted to be placed on a flat surface or table top and having parts adapted to support the sides of a book, when opened, and which is adjustable and adaptable to accommodate the different thicknesses of the sides of the book as the pages of the book are turned.

It is another object of the invention to provide a foldable book rest wherein the supporting parts are adjustable on the base to supporting positions for the book, but which are also adjustable along the base and foldable thereinto so that the book rest will take up little space at times when the book rest is not being used.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a foldable book rest having foldable parts means utilizing one of the book rest parts for securing other parts upon the base when folded into the openings of the base, such means being simple and including only projections on certain of the parts adapted to extend through the base and key hole slots in another part for receiving the projections and whereby rigidly xing all of the parts to the base.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a foldable book rest having foldable supporting parts and having cut away openings adapted to receive the upper end of the binding of the book and thereby to positively prevent lateral slipping of the book when on the supports.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a foldable book rest, having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to adjust, compact when the parts are folded into the base, light in weight, durable, of pleasing appearance, convenient to use and ecient and eifective when in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foldable book rest according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the base with the parts being folded thereinto, the view being taken generally along line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a collective and perspective View of the respective parts of the foldable book rest;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper ends of the back supports and the opposing sides thereof, and of the upper end of the binding of the book seated in the sides.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary sectional View taken generally along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the front portion of the base and ofthe front rest part;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base of a still further form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 8 3 of Fig. 7 and with the adjustable rest parts folded into the base;

Fig. 9 is a collective and perspective View of the front rest assembly;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary and elevational view of the back rest parts with one of the parts shown in its elevated position and the other part shown in its out of use position;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary perspective view showing one the back rest parts in its supporting position engaging with the under edge of the base.

Referring now to the figures, 1 through 5, I5 represents a base that may be formed of metal by stamping or which may be formed of plastic by a molding operation. This base I5 has a front edge portion I6 formed to provide a raised ledge yI 'I and a channel opening I8 thereunder. 11xtending rearwardly from the front portion i6 and laterally spaced from each other are leg or supporting portions I9 and 20 to the rear ends of which is connected a transversely extending rear support foot 2I that interconnects the leg portions and xed thereto by screws 22.

Each of the leg portions I9 and 2|! has a depressed section 23, the forward end of each providing one side of the channel I8 and the raise of the ledge I'I. Extending between the depressed sections of the respective leg portions I9 and 20 is a front rest member 24 having elongated slots 25 through which the respective leg portions are extended and by the sides of which the front book rest part 24 can be supported in an inclined position upon the depressed sections 23. The front book rest part 24 is slidable along the leg portions. At times when the book rest is not in use, the front part 24 can be slid forwardly and its upper portion folded rearwardly so that the lower part of the part 24 will slide upwardly on the front end of the depressed section 23 to assume a position as shown in Fig. 2. 'Ihe lower portion of the front rest part, including the ends of the slots 25, is bent or offset slightly rearwardly in order that it can be easily accommodated in the channel opening I8 and in order to accommodate the thickness of the ledge II and to allow the front face to lie flush with the top surface of the base I5 and well within the depressed sections 23.

The page retaining member 26 is slidably tted upon the upper portion of the front rest member 24. This page retainer 26 has an elongated slot 21 that extends substantially the full length thereof and receives the upper portion of the front book rest 24. It is slightly oversize so as to permit free sliding of the retainer 26 upon the book rest 24. The rearward edge of the book page retainer 26 is turned down as indicated at 28 and will engage the faces of the page below the written matter. When the page retainer 25 is removed from the front book rest member 214, it can Ibe secured to the underside of the base l5, as shown in Fig. 2, and in a manner to be later described.

The leg portions IS and 23 are respectively turned up at their rear ends to provide a ledge 23 to which the supporting foot 2i is connected and an underchannel 30. Rear book supports 3| and 32 having on their lower portions respectively elongated slots 33 by which the rear supporting parts are assembled upon the respective leg portions i9 and 2B so that they may be slid therealong in order that they can be accommodated to the varying thickness of the sides of the book and the pages are turned to lessen or add to the thickness of the different sides of the book. The slots 33 of the rear supports 3l and 32 are slightly oversized so as to permit the rear supporting parts to be inclined in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower portions of rear supporting parts 3i and 32 adjacent the ends of the slot 33 are forwardly offset as indicated at 34. This is so that the lower portion of the rear supporting part 3l can be accommodated in the channel 3G as shown in Fig. 2, when the rear supporting part is collapsed forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. This support will, in its collapsed or folded down position, overlie the front rest part 24, as shown in Fig. 2, and retain the same in the depressed section 23 of the leg portions I3 and 23. At this time the book page retainer 23 will have been removed from the front book support part 24 and assembled on the underside of the base I5.

Each of the rear supporting parts 3| and 32 has a forwardly extending headed projection 35. Each projection 35 has an enlarged head 35 and each projection, when the rear supporting parts are turned down, will extend through a hole 3G in each leg portion I9 and 2li and into a key hole slot 31 of the page retainer part 26. The page retainer part 26 is fitted over the projections and slid lengthwise in order to finally secure the parts in assembled relationship with the narrow part of the keyhole slot engaging with the enlarged head 35. In order to keep the book, when in place upon the supporting parts from shifting laterally, the rear support portions respectively have notches 31 and 33 in their upper inner corners, and opposing each other. so as to receive the upper end of the binding or center of an open book 33 in the manner shown in Fig. 4 so that the sides of the notches will be engaged by the sides of the binding upon any tendency for the open book to shift laterally upon the book rest.

With the rear supporting parts 3l and 32 elevated in the manner shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5, the main or upper portion of the parts will extend rearwardly. The book 39 will be rested so that its top edge lies against the top portions of the parts 3l and 32 and with the binding in the notches 31 and 38. The lower portion of the book will lie under the page retaining member 25, and the front support 24 will incline forwardly. The projections 35 will be sufhciently removed from the book covers by virtue of the engagement of the top portion of the book with 4 the upper portions of the supporting parts 3l and 32.

In Fig. 6, there is shown a modified form of the invention wherein the front support is fixed in a different manner to the depressed sections 23 of leg portions 19' and 20. In each of the leg portions intermediate the length of the depressed section 23 is an elongated transversely extending slot 4I into which is fitted a projection 42 or projection 43 on a transverse front support 44. The slots 4I are sufficiently large to permit the front support 44 to be inclined forwardly.

In order to fit the front support 44 into the depressed section 23', the projections 43 and 43 can be extended into side slots 45 and 46 in raised ledge `41 on front portion 48 of the base I5'. The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is otherwise the same as the form of the invention shown in Figs. l through 5.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 7 to l1, there is shown another form of the invention. According to this form of the invention, there is provided a base 53 having a front foot portion 5I and a rear foot portion 52, both of which extend transversely across the full width of the base. Between the foot portions there extends a large longitudinally extending slot 53 on the opposite sides of which are longitudinally extending support attaching portions 54 and 55. Each of these support attaching portions 54 and 55 having a front depressed section 5E and out of the front side of the depressed section 56 is a struck projection 51 which is used for the assombling of a front support part 53 in an upright manner upon the base 50. This front support 58 has laterally spaced elongated slots 53 into which the projections 51 are extended in order to hold the front support part 58 inclined as illustrated in Fig. 8.

Adapted to be fitted onto the front support part 58 is a page retaining part 60 having a downwardly extending lip 6E and a forwardly and downwardly extending attaching portion 62 having an elongated slot 34 through which the front support part 58 may extend.

When the page retaining part 63 is slid onto the part 53 with the upper portion of the part 58 entering the slot 64 of the part 60 from the front portion thereof, an assembly is provided which will permit the two parts to be stored or assembled into the depressed portions 56 of the base 50. The depressed section 55 has a groove 55 that will accommodate the downwardly and forwardly extending portion 62 of the retainer 60. The lip 6l will engage with the upper edge of the support part 58. In order to render the depressed sections 56 rigid, the sides thereof have respectively outer and inner down turned lips 63 and 51.

Rearwardly of the depressed sections of each of the portions 54 and 55 are downwardly turned lips 58 and 69 that will render that part of the portions rigid.

Slidable along portions 54 and 55 rearwardly of the depressed sections are rear supports 10. Each of these supports has a transversely extending bracket 1| on its front face and connected thereto by rivets 12. This bracket provides for an opening on the lower end or the support 1i] to which the portion 54 may extend. The bracket will engage with the underedge of the lips 68 and 63 so as to thus hold the support 1l! in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined manner.

When it is desired to fold the rear support 13 onto the base, the support 'lll is mover rearwardly to its full extent and the bracket 1I is made free of the lips 68 and 69 as shown in Fig. 10, so that the rear support 10 can lie over the portion 54 or 55 and over the book retainer and front support assembly lying within the depressed portion 56 and in the manner as shown in Fig. 8. 'I'he support l0 is relieved on its forward face as indicated at 73 to accommodate the page retainer 60. The support 'I0 is also relieved at 'I4 to accommodate the inwardly struck projection l.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a foldable book rest wherein the front and rear supports can be folded into the base in order that the support can consume little space when not in use. It will be noted that these supports are adjustable in order that the book rest can be adapted for the size book being used and also to accommodate the differing thickness of the different sides of the book as the pages are turned from one position to another to lessen or thicken one side of the book.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable book rest comprising a base part having a front portion and laterally spaced rearwardly extending portions extending from the front portion, a rear foot portion connected to the rear ends of the laterally spaced portions, each of said laterally spaced portions having a depressed section, a front support part, means on the lower portion thereof for connecting the same to the depressed sections, said front support part adapted to lie in the depressed sections When the book rest is collapsed, and a rear support connected to each of the spaced portions for longitudinal adjustment thereover, each of said vertical rear supports adapted to lie along the spaced portion when the book rest is collapsed and over the front support lying within the depressed sections.

2. A foldable book rest as dened in claim l, and said front portion of the base having a ledge and a channel therebeneath, the lower portion of the front support part having spaced elongated slots therein, said depressed sections extending respectively through said slots, said slots being oversized to permit the adjustment of the front support part therealong and also to permit the front support to be inclined forwardly, the lower portion adjacent the ends of the slot being forwardly offset, adapted when the front part is pivoted into position to lie in the depressed section, to lie within the channel beneath the ledge of the front portion of the base.

3. A foldable book rest, as defined in claim 1, and said rear portion having a raised ledge with a channel underlying the same, each of said rear support parts having an elongated slot and the lower portion bent adjacent the ends of said slots to lie forwardly of the upper portion and offset therefrom, said laterally spaced portion extending through the slot of the rear support part and the rear support part being adjustable therealong, said rear support part folded forwardly having its offset portion lying in the channel of the rear portion of the base beneath the legs thereof.

4. A foldable book rest, as dened in claim 1,

and a page retaining member part having an elongated slot extending transversely thereof and receiving the upper portion of the front support part, said book page retaining part having a front edge portion adapted to overlie the open pages of the book and said page retaining part extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the front support part and vertically adjustable relative thereto.

5. A foldable book rest as defined in claim 4, and each of said rear support parts having a forwardly extending projection with an enlarged head thereon, each laterally spaced portion having an opening therein through which the projection on the rear support extends when the parts are in their collapsed or folded in positions, said book page retaining part having laterally spaced key openings adapted to receive the projections of the rear support parts on the underside of the laterally spaced base portions upon the page retaining part being removed and placed under the base and to lock thereby all of the parts in assembled positions upon the base.

6, A foldable book rest as defined in claim 1, and each of the rear support parts having notches on the inner upper corners thereof, said notches opposing each other and adapted to receive the upper end of the book binding of a book whereby to hold the book against lateral shifting movement upon the book rest.

'7. A foldable book rest as dened in claim l, and said depressed sections of the laterally spaced base portions having elongated slots, said front support part having projections tted into said respective slots, said front portion of the base having a ledge with the end of the depressed section of each portion of the base lying behind the ledge, each end of the depressed section having an elongated slot adapted to receive the depending projections of the front support when the book rest is collapsed and the front support lying in the depressed sections.

8. A foldable book rest as dened in claim 1, and the forward end of each depressed section having a rearwardly struck projection, said front support member having laterally spaced elongated recesses for receiving respectively the respective rearwardly extending struck projections of the depressed sections.

9. A foldable book rest as defined in claim 8, and a page retaining part having a page engaging portion and a forwardly and downwardly extending attaching portion with an elongated slot therein adapted to receive the long edge of the front support part, said page retaining part being adapted upon the edge of the front support extending therethrough from the front side to lie parallel and assembled upon the front support part so as to be fitted into the depressed section therewith, each of said depressed sections having a groove for receiving the attaching portion of the page retaining part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,840,620 Dennis Jan. 12, 1932 1,983,439 DeVore Dec. 4, 1934 2,374,409 Brennan Apr. 24, 1945 2,419,721 Kopp Apr. 29, 1947 2,583,097 Heimann Jan. 22, 1952 

